BJ's Wholesale Club Announces Major Donation for Hunger Relief

WESTBOROUGH, Mass., Sept. 4, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- BJ's Charitable Foundation announces today that it will provide grants to 30 Feeding America-member food banks to celebrate the company's 30^th anniversary. The grants will support capacity building within the Feeding America network of local food bank members, a giving area that is often overlooked. Food banks have ample space and storage to provide product for food pantries and shelters, but these local agencies often have limited capabilities for safe holding and storing of perishable food donations. The funding will help to supply equipment to shelters and food pantries, resulting in their increased capacity to provide nutritious options for hunger relief in each of the 15 eastern states where BJ's operates.

"BJ's Wholesale Club is proud to reach our 30-year milestone and share our enthusiasm by expanding our role in the fight against hunger," said Laura Sen, president and CEO of BJ's Wholesale Club. "Supporting agencies' need for capacity building will ensure that perishable food can reach the people who need it most. Investing in our communities, specifically for hunger relief, is a vital goal to which BJ's is committed."

One in seven Americans, more than 46 million people, including 12 million children, rely on food pantries and meal service programs to feed themselves and their families, according to the national Hunger in America 2014 study released by Feeding America. Now is more of a critical time than ever to maximize the amount of fresh food that makes it through the supply chain as safely and efficiently as possible.

"BJ's has been a great partner to Feeding America and has worked with us to create a grant that will have a major impact on the amount of meals we are able to provide to our clients in the future," said Leah Ray, senior vice president of development for Feeding America. "By focusing this grant support on increasing the acquisition, storage, and distribution of perishables at the food pantry level, we can increase the access to nutritious food for Americans struggling with food insecurity."

BJ's Charitable Foundation is donating $700,000 to Feeding America. The contribution will be distributed to the following food banks as perishable capacity increasing grants: Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank (OH); Atlanta Community Food Bank (GA); City Harvest (NY); Community Food Bank of New Jersey (NJ); Connecticut Food Bank (CT); Feeding America Tampa Bay (FL); Feeding Northeast Florida (FL); Feeding South Florida (FL)FeedMore (VA); Food Bank of Delaware (DE); Food Bank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties (NJ); Food Bank of South Jersey (NJ); Food Bank of Western New York (NY);Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia (VA); Foodlink, Inc. (NY); Foodshare (CT); Fredericksburg Area Food Bank (VA); Good Shepherd Food Bank (ME); Greater Cleveland Food Bank, Inc. (OH); Maryland Food Bank (MD); New Hampshire Food Bank (NH); Philabundance (PA); Rhode Island Community Food Bank (RI); Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida (FL); Second Harvest Food Bank of Lehigh Valley and NE Pennsylvania (PA); Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina(NC); Second Harvest Food Bank of North Central Ohio (OH); The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts (MA);The Greater Boston Food Bank (MA) and Virginia Peninsula Foodbank (VA).

Since 2011, BJ's has partnered with Feeding America in the fight against hunger through the BJ's Feeding Communities program. To date, BJ's 203 clubs have contributed perishable food totaling more than 22 million pounds, which is the equivalent of 18 million meals.

About BJ's Wholesale Club
BJ's is dedicated to providing Members with high-quality, brand-name food and merchandise at prices that are significantly lower than supermarkets, supercenters, department stores, drug stores and specialty retail stores.  BJ's carries the most product variety of any Membership club with more than 7,000 items, including supermarket-sized staples, USDA Choice meats and stock-up items, as well as all-natural and organic products. BJ's is the only membership club to accept all manufacturers' coupons and for greater convenience, offers the most payment options including EBT.

Headquartered in Westborough, Massachusetts, BJ's Wholesale Club, Inc. is a leading operator of warehouse clubs in the eastern United States.  The Company currently operates 203 clubs and in 15 eastern states.  Learn more and shop online at www.BJs.com or, for exclusive content visit Facebook.com/bjswholesaleclub and Twitter.com/bjswholesale.

About BJ's Charitable Foundation

BJ's Charitable Foundation was established with the mission to enrich every community BJ's Wholesale Clubs serve. The Foundation supports nonprofit organizations that primarily benefit the underprivileged in the area of basic needs (hunger prevention, self-sufficiency, education and health). For more information about BJ's Charitable Foundation, please visit, www.bjs.com/charity/.

About Feeding America

Feeding America is a nationwide network of 200 food banks that leads the fight against hunger in the United States. Together, we provide food to more than 46 million people through food pantries and meal programs in communities throughout America. Feeding America also supports programs that improve food security among the people we serve; educates the public about the problem of hunger; and advocates for legislation that protects people from going hungry. Individuals, charities, businesses and government all have a role in ending hunger. Donate. Volunteer. Advocate. Educate.  Together we can solve hunger. Visit http://www.feedingamerica.org/. Find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/FeedingAmerica or follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/FeedingAmerica.

SOURCE BJ's Wholesale Club

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